GETTING INSURED: Jim Donovan Tip #3
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Under the Affordable Care Act, starting in 2014 most people must have health insurance coverage. (The deadline to purchase insurance is March 31, 2014) If you don't have coverage by that time you run the risk of having to pay a penalty to the federal government. But as with any law, there are some exceptions. Among them:
- Undocumented immigrants
- Members of a religion opposed to acceptance of benefits from a health insurance policy
- People that are incarcerated
- Members of an Indian tribe
- Your income is below the threshold for filing a tax return ($10,000 for an individual /$20,000 for a family)
- You have to pay more than 8% of your income for health insurance, after taking into account any employer contributions or tax credits.
There is no penalty for being without health insurance if you fit into any of those groups.
